Laundry machinery



June 19, .1928.

F. H. EHNTS LAUNDRY MACHINERY Filed Aug. 13, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 :LimwHuHnnnhhFli INVENTOR 3W 0/. {m

BY M W ATTORNEY I 6 3 M l s T N H E H F June 19, 1928.

LAUNDRY MACHINERY Filed Aug. 15. 1921 s Sheets-$heet INVENTO M W W nn,

l BY- v v ATTORNEY June 19, 1928.

F. H. EHNTS LAUNDRY MACHINERY Filed Aug. 13, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 an QMLwW 2 N on an m on INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 19, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT Orrce.

:rnnnnme n. mums, or GEBMANTOWN, PHILADELPHIA; PENNSYLVANIA,nssmuon,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 H. w. BUTTr-inwonrn & sons COMPANY, A CORPORA-TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LAUNDRY MACHINERY.

Application filed August 13, 1921. Serial No. 492,029.

:This invention relates to laundry machinery and more particularly topower driven laundry machinery.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction and arrangement of parts which is economical and readilymanufactured.

A specific object of this invention is to provide an improved powertransmitting connection which will not jam or easily become disarranged.

A further specific object is the provision of an arrangement wherebyportable laundry machinery, such as washingmachines, ironing machines,and the like may be used in conjunction with the fixed apparatus such asth stationary laundry tubs now generally found in modern dwellings.

A still further object is the provision of an arrangement whereby suchportable laundry machinery may be driven interchangeably from a singlesource of power.

Other objects willbe in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the. construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in th following claims.

In accomplishing the objects of my invention. I preferably provide thefixed apparatus with a source of power, generally an electric motor; andprovide a novel arrangement ofcouplingsand housings with. which theportablemachinery is equipped and adapted for interchangeable connectionwith the power source.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of myinvention reference should be hadto the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a portable washing machine coupled foruse in conjunction with stationary laundry tubs in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the arrangemcnt shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sideelevation of apower coupling on an ironingmachine adapted to be used interchangeably with the washing machine.shown in F ig. 1;

built into modern dwellings; 8 is th portable laundry or washing machinewhich is designed to beused in conjunction with tubs A. The washingmachine B isillustrated as one of the well known cyclinder type, and hasa power coupling C (see Fig. 4) in the housing D in order that it may bedriven by power supplied from the electric motor E, which isillustratedin Fig. 1 as secured to the under side of the stationarytubs-A.

The machine B may be mechanically disconnected from thetubsA merely bywithdrawing the housing D from the gear housing G, the manuallymanipulated ring 10 on housing D being provided to lock both housingstogether in a manner more fully set forth hereinafter. Accordingly themachine B may b removed at will and replaced by anotherportable laundrymachine; for instance,the ironing machine F, shown in, Fig. 3, which hasa housing H adapted similarly to co-operate and be coupled to the gearhousing G. The housing H is also shown as provided with a manuallymanipulated ring 10, similar to theone at .10, for securing the housingsin coupled relation.

The gear housing G is secured in a stationary manner, preferably to someconvenient part of tubs A; as shown in Fig. 1. This housing, as shown inFig. 4, contains a rotatable member 15 which is the driving member ofthe power coupling atC. The member 15 is secured on a short shaft 16journaled in the housing G and carries-the beveled pinion 17 whichmeshes with the beveled gear 18 on the vertical shaft 19', the

latter also being journaled in the housing but at right angles to theother;

Thevertical shaft 19 is driven at reduced speed by the horizontal shaft20, (see Fig. 7) which is coupled by the friction coupling 21 tothemotor shaft 22. Th friction coupling shown. comprises a disc or pulley23 keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to shaft 522, as by the set screw52 k, and has a facing 25 of friction material, such as leather, fiber.and the like, adapted to abut against and adhere to the inner orfriction surface of the bell shaped member 26 which latter is rigidlysecured on shaft 20. To increase or otherwise regulate the frictionalpressure between facing 25 and member 26. a spring 27 is providedencircling the shaft 22, drawn up by plate 28 and its screws 29 in themember 26; which spring reacts against the disc 23, the reaction urgingthe frictionally engaging surfaces together and applying a pressureproportional to the tension of the spring, which tension may be adjustedby manipulating screws 29. This arrangement, it will be perceived. whilenormally trans mitting the power of the motor to the shaft 19. alsopermits the slipping of the clutch in the event that any part of thepower transmitting connections or machine B become jammed and preventedfrom turning, whereby the stripping of gears is avoided' The speedreducing gearing for connecting shaft 19 with shaft 20 so as to bedriven thereby is illustrated in broken lines at 30 in Fig. 2 andcomprises a worm on shaft 20 and a worm gear on shaft 19. In one aspectof my invention. however. any suitable speed reducing gearing may beemployed. As shown, the shaft 19 is a part of the fixed power equipmentof the stationary tubs A and rot-ates in a vertically extending housing31 of its own, and may be conveniently extended up to be connected withand drive a clothes wringer K. This wringer is convenicntly mountedabove the tubs A and may be adjusted to various positions with respectto the tubs, as the working conditions may require. In the positionshown in the drawing. the wringer is adapted to receive clothes from thewashing machine B and deliver them when wrung to its tub A. \Vhen thewringer is swung to a second position between the tubs at ninety degreesfrom the first, it is adapted to discharge the clothes from the firsttub and deliver into the second: and when swung to a third positionthrough still another ninety degrees. or one hundred and eighty degreesfrom the first, it is adapted to discharge clothes from the second tuband deliver to a basket which has been placed before the tubs.

In order to readily effect the mechanical connecting and disconnectingof the portable laundry machines with the source of power, the casing Gis provided with tubular extension 33 (see Fig. (3) which is adapted toproject into and telescope with a corresponding tubular formation 34 onthe housing D, the extension 33 being provided with a guiding projectionco-operating with the slot 35 in housing D. The slot 35. as shown. ispreferably longer than ring 10 is wide, in order that the projection 35(which is higher than slot 35 is deep) may project up beyond the ring 10and thereby be locked in place. To this end the ring 10 is provided withan oil'- set groove at 36 which when in register with the slot 35, asshown in Fig. t'. permits the projection 33 readily to he slid. underthe ring back and forth throughout the whole length of the slot IVhcnthe groove 36 is turned out of register with the slot 35, the handle 37on the ring being provided for this purpose, the ring 10 acts as a lockto hold the housing I) properly coupled to the housing G. i. e.,provided the projection34 has been slid into the slot 35 to a pointbeyond the ring 10.

In order to accommodate itself readily to variations in the height ofthe housing I) on the detachable machine. the housing G is preferablymade vertically adjustable on the shaft 19. To accomplish this thehousing G proper is provided with a lower tubular extension 38 whichsurrounds shaft 19 and is adapted to slide into and telescope with thetubular end 39. of the housing 39 which is fixed with respect to thetubs A and is shown as an extension of the housing which encloses thegearing at 30. Provision. however. is made to hold housing G in tixedposition,

the adjustment with respect to the dctaehable machine having once beenmade. To this end the upper tubular end of housing 39 is split andprovided with lugs and a tightening screw 39" for drawing the lugstogether whereby to clamp the evtension 38 and hence the housing G inany desired position. This construction necessitates that gear 18 shallbe slidably mounted on shaft 1.). Accordingly the shaft 19 has a keywaycut therein as indicated in broken lines at 19 in which may slide thekey 18' secured in the gear 18, in order that it may drive gear '18whatever the position on shaft 19.

Vi'ithin the housing D. with which the machine B is cquip 'ied. isjournaled a pow r transniitting shaft 40. At. one end this shaftisprovided with a worm 41 adapted to mesh with worm wheel 42 on thecylinder shaft 13 of the washing machine. At. the other end, the shaft40 has the sliding clutch member 45 arranged to rotate it, which membercoinprises the companion portion of the power coupling C detachable frombut engageable with the member 15 by reason of the projections 45 and 15provided respectively on their abutting faces.

IVhen housing G has been locked to housing D and member 45 slid intocontact with member 15. the rotation of member 15 will cause projection15 to engage with projection 45 thereby causing member 45 to be r0-tated and power to be transmitted thereto. The housings G and D whenassembled as described also function as bracing members to support theportable machine in operative Ill position, thus maintaining the clutchmembers 15 and in operative alignment.

In order to slide member 45 on shaft 40, a rod 46 is provided in thehousing I). This rod is rotatably and slidably secured in the housingand has at one end exterior to the housing a handle or manipulatingmember 47; at its other end a fork shaped member 48 is provided whoseprongs 49 engage with an annular groove 50 in the member 45. Therotation of rod 46 is preferably constrained within the limits of aquarter of a turn; to this end it has limiting means comprising the pin51 thereon adjacent the fork shaped member 48, adapted to engage with apair of stops 52 which are displaced substantially 90 from each otherand are disposed on the member 48 in the path of the arc of travel ofpin 51.

By sliding the rod 46 back and forth the clutch members 45 and 15 aremade to engage and disengage in order to start and stop the washingmachine B. The function for the rotation of the rod 46 is to enable themachine B to be automatically stopped in a predetermined position. Tothis end the rod 46 is provided with a second pin 61 shown in Fig. 4 asprojecting laterally to a point closely adjacent the surface of the worm"pin 61 when in this lateral position and cause rod 46 to slideoutwardly and'disengage clutchmembers 45 and 15. The pin 61 ispreferably so positioned on the wheel 42 that when rod 46 ha been fullydrawn out by projection 62 the cylinder of washing machine B will havestopped with its closure (which receives the fabrics to be washed) inits uppermost position, as shown in broken lines at 65 in Fig. 1.

Normally the handle 47 is rotated through 90 out of the position shownin the drawing into a plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper. Inthis position the pin 61 sticks upwardly as indicated at 61 in Fig. 5.This is the ordinary position of the pin and handle when machine B isrunning.

From the construction shown it is apparent thatby simply manipulatingthe handle 47, the washing machine B may be started, stopped, or broughtto a stop in a predetermined position. Also, by the connection ofhousings D and G the machine B is connected with its power supply, thering 10 being manipulated to lock it in place. In like manner themachine F may beused interchangeably with machine B, by attaching it tothe source of power through its gear housing H, the latter being alsolocked in place by the manipulation of ring 10.

Thus by the above described construction are accomplished, among others,the objects hereinbefore referred to.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 7

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A portable laundry machine adapted to be coupledwith a fixed source of power, said machine having power transmittingconnections comprising a shaft having a shiftable coupling member, ahousing for said connections, a shifting rod in said housing having anexteriorhandle at one end and a member engaging with said couplingmember at the other end, and means controlled by said rod 95 to stopsaid machine in a predetermined position.

2. A portable laundry machine adapted to be coupled with a fixed sourceof power,

said machine having a propelling gear pro- Y vided with a projection andpower transmitting connections to said gear comprising a shaft having ashiftable coupling member adapted when in one position to bemechanically coupled to said source of power and to be uncoupled whenshifted to another position, a housing for said connections, and arotatable shifting rod in said housing having a handle at one end and amember adapted to engage with said coupling member at the other;said rodhaving a pin adapted when rotated into the path of the projection onsaid propelling gear to be engaged thereby for shifting said rod,whereby said machine is automatically stopped in a predeterminedposition. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERIO EHNTS.

